Why ‘Under the Carob Trees’?
Because…..
...in most cultures there are distinctive, elderly, magnificant trees under which local people gather to tell stories, debate and make important decisions and under which individuals find solace, think, dream and rest.
…Carob trees can live for more than 500 years, they expand our perception of time & resilience. They grow outwards, producing shade, are evergreen and can withstand drought and almost any quality of soil. The fruit they bear has nutritional and medicinal value and was historically highly prized. However, for such large and important trees, Carobs enjoy a suprisingly low profile - few people can identify them, or are aware of their value and potential!
…like all trees, Carobs interconnect and communicate via an underground mycorrhizal network and are part of an interdependant living system.
…there are some wonderful Carob trees in this area of Spain. They make hot humid summers more bearable with their deep shade and their pods provide income and food for the locals and their animals.
What is ‘integrative coaching’
UTCT’s style could be described as ‘integrative’ and ‘holistic’ because the work draws from different disciplines/modalities and addresses the whole client (physical, mental, spiritual*, social, emotional).
Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Action Learning and other disciplines utilised are solution focussed - meaning they work on the here and now in order to create a better future, often offering practical exercises & tools the client can take away and continue to work with.
They differ in this way from most counselling & psychotherapy, where the past is usually explored more fully and extensively. EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing) and The Grief Recovery Method are possibly the exceptions but even these do not seek to analyse.
All work is ‘client led’ meaning areas of focus and techniques are always within the clients control and matched to their individual needs and preferences.
UTCT believes that people are innately resourceful and possess within them the wisdom to find the best solutions for them as an individual or a team. The role of coach or facilitator is to create the environment needed for those solutions & resources to surface, to give time and attention and to hold the space for the client/s, to enable shift to happen...
…. sort of a ‘midwife for change’.
Underlying Principles of UTCT
work with the whole person as a physical, mental, spiritual*, social being, within & affected by context/environment/systems
work in collaboration with clients using client centred approaches
confidentiality maintained at all times (unless threat to life)
non-judgemental, open, honest & authentic
transformation often happens in relationship, so if clients/coachees are able/willing to join our group coaching/action learning/retreats/programmes it is recommeded, as this will accelerate the learning.
change can be difficult, complex or easy… but it is always possible
*Note: spiritual here relates to values, connection to something greater than ourselves, search for meaning & purpose